Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis cultivar Miami.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hibiscus, botanically known as Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Miamixe2x80x99.
The new Hibiscus is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Amstelveen, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact freely-branching and freely-flowering Hibiscus cultivars appropriate for container production.
The new Hibiscus originated from a cross-pollination made by tbe Inventor in Amstelveen, The Netherlands in 1999, of a proprietary Hibiscus rosa-sinensis selection, identified as code number 98.157.13, not patented, as the female or seed, parent with a proprietary Hibiscus rosa-sinensis selection, designated as code number 2002.18.14, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Miami was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Amstelveen, The Netherlands, in 2000.
Asexual reproduction of the new Hibiscus by vegetative terminal cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Amstelveen, The Netherlands since 2000, has shown that the unique features of this new Hibiscus are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Miami has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Miamixe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Miamixe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Compact, upright and uniform plant habit that is appropriate for container production.
2. Freely branching habit.
3. Glossy medium green-colored leaves.
4. Freely and continuous flowering habit.
5. Light red-colored flowers.
6. Good resistance to flower bud abscission.
Compared to plants of the parents, the proprietary Hibiscus selections, plants of the new Hibiscus are more upright, more freely branching, and more freely flowering.
Plants of the new Hibiscus are similar to plants of the Hibiscus cultivar Rosalie, not patented. However, in side-by-side comparisions conducted in Amstelveen, The Netherlands, plants of the new Hibiscus differed from plants of the cultivar Rosalie in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Hibiscus were shorter and broader than plants of the cultivar Rosalie.
2. Plants of the new Hibiscus were more freely branching than plants of the cultivar Rosalie.
3. Leaves of plants of the new Hibiscus were longer, narrower and lighter green in color than leaves of plants of the cultivar Rosalie.
4. Plants of the new Hibiscus were more freely flowering than plants of the cultivar Rosalie.
5. Flowers of plants of the new Hibiscus were brighter red in color than flowers of plants of the cultivar Rosalie.
6. Flower peduncles of plants of the new Hibiscus were longer and thicker than flower peduncles of plants of the cultivar Rosalie.